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Will Dual Survival fans give Joe Teti a chance?

Just one episode into the new season, many Dual Survival fans are already sounding off with an anti-Joe stance.

They’re back!

Well, at least, Cody Lundin is back; Dave Canterbury is wherever he is, but he’s not back on Discovery Channel’s Dual Survival, much to the dismay of many viewers. And, the tension between Cody and new partner Joe Teti did not help bring viewers around to the new pairing.

There was often conflict between Dave and Cody on the show during the first two seasons—that was part of the fun. But, the conflict was typically good-natured. Last night, the conflict had a different vibe to it—but, does that make it negative, or just new and different?

Long-Term vs. Short-Term

Cody and Dave, while having different ways of getting there, were usually united on their goals. Their focus was typically together: getting to the end alive. Cody and Joe, however, seem to have not only different ways of getting there, they also seem to have different goals for tackling their survival challenges. Cody, a primitive survival and living specialist, looks at the overall picture, and seeks ways to get to the end alive and well. Joe, on the other hand, is a highly trained military specialist. As Discovery has indicated, Teti “is a veteran of both US military and US government special operations units. He is a former Force Recon Marine, Army Special Forces ‘Green Beret,’ and a former operator in a highly classified government counter-terrorist unit.” Watching him last night, it was clear: He does not breakdown his assignments into huge chunks, planning from beginning to end; he looks at the situation and seeks ways to get to the next minute alive—a completely different point of view, and one that perhaps only someone who has been placed in situations where their life is truly, constantly in jeopardy can understand.

Overacting?

Fans have already complained that Joe is “overacting,” but perhaps he is simply relating his training and experience to the situations at hand—something most of us really cannot understand. Yes, his reactions may appear extreme at times—such as when he killed the pig in the one-hour special Dual Survival: Unbraided—but would it not seem MORE surprising that his reactions were NOT extreme, given all of his training and years in the most elite areas of the military? That training is not something that one just throws away when they leave combat, so it doesn’t seem surprising—or unreasonable—that when Joe killed that pig—and, boy, did he kill it—he would have the wild-eyed reaction he did. Most of us have never been in a single situation where we have to be on the lookout for someone literally trying to ambush and kill us; but imagine if that were our daily lives for years on end. Is it unreasonable to think that our training might kick-in in such a violent situation, pig or otherwise, and that perhaps, for a moment, we might find ourselves back in an earlier moment of defending ourselves in a different time in our lives?

Psychology vs. Physiology

Cody and Joe are working together for the first time, and it just makes sense that they are going to hit some bumps in the road. And, when they are coming from such completely different modes of operation, there are going to be a lot of points of discussion, maybe heated, and times to compromise. But, that is the point of Dual Survival, right? Two people with different philosophies working together, even if it means one of them taking a swig of his own pee to get a “psychological edge” at the displeasure of the other, which should be enough to give anyone an idea of the extreme Joe is working from in his methods. And, while both agreed that drinking urine for hydration is not advised, even Cody stated, while still strongly disagreeing with the idea of drinking urine at all, that, “the psychology in many aspects does trump physiology.”

Just a chance?

Viewers are missing Dave, there is no doubt, but Dave is gone from Dual Survival, and he is not coming back anytime in the foreseeable future. Change in any form is difficult, but perhaps if we give Joe a chance to be Joe, we’ll start to see that there is a method to his madness. And, who knows? We might even begin to like him.

Comments

First off, Hollywood is all about make-believe and false heros, so what difference does it make if Dave was a ID clerk or a warrior? He proved himself repeatedly and I still feel like there is a place for him on my TV set-I just liked the guy! Dave and Cody had a great thing going!
But I'm also not ready to throw Joe under the bus after the first episode. My ten year old and I watched it last night and found it as usual, very entertaining. The camera work was quality and took us to places we've never seen-that's what this show does.
The drinking the pee thing has already been done by Bear Grills and I could live my entire life without ever seeing it again! But Joe has some real combat/survival experiance that I always respect and pay close attention to. Maybe his acting skills will improve with coaching.
Oh and that big ars knife of his looks way cool-Go Joe!

Yes, it was definitely a different vibe, but I'm with you: Not throwing Joe under-the-bus after a single episode. He gives the show a "harder" edge, it seems, and it's just a fun show. I liked Dave, but Joe is the guy, now ... I really think he'll grow on a lot of people as time goes by.
As far as the acting, you know, I guess I just keep thinking about how any everyday person would be if they were placed in that situation--gotta give him some transitional time to get "camera comfy." I mean, if he IS a real person, can't expect him to have great TV skills, right?
And, the pee thing ... nasty, just nasty, but I did get his point (although, I'm with you on that, too: Could have gone for the rest of my life w/o seeing it).

1st, it speaks to a man's credibility if he falsified records in order to come off publicly as a survival instructor. People's lives can hang in the balance...and then there is the matter of lawsuits, a fact that I'm sure that Discovery's producers were very much aware of. This is also the reason that Discovery channel started posting the type of disclaimers that they now do. Both the US Army Survival Manual, and The SAS Survival Manual, as well as many other survival books state that drinking your own urine is BAD! I don't know if Joe T. has a wife or girlfriend, but if he does, before he kissed her I hope he brushed his teeth really, really wel!
2nd, watching the show "Dual Survival Unbraided," I couldn't help noticing that Joe used a series of large knives. I think I saw a Becker knife as well as the Buck "Hoodlum" designed by the late Ron Hood. Anyway I could have sworn I saw the "Hood's Woods" logo on the blade. Since I'm an avid knife nut I'll be watching Joe for that very reason if nothing else. Note Cody's modest little inexpensive Swedish Mora knife. For it's price and size it's a very good knife for use in the outdoors. Cody was a student of the Canadian Survival instructor Mors Kochanski, who uses the same type of knife enev in the primitive Canadian Boreal Forest.

Joes knife is made by TOPs and he designed it himself, its called the surv tac-7.
Also I like Joe better than Dave. Joe is by far the most badass individual on TV and its cool being able to watch somebody that has done as much as he has. No doubt is he hard headed and stubborn but he's an american hero who has skills that have kept him alive thus far. I think eventually they'll compromise more as they grow together as a team.

I disagree with Joe being the biggest badass on TV. I think Mykel Hawke would eat this guy alive. I have learned more about survival from him than any other guy on TV. Mykel is the real deal! You watch Mykel and he knows everything about getting out alive.

Mike hawk would get raped by joe. This guy was not only in one but three different special operations units, and wen tho he can't say pretty obvious he was delta. The elite of the elite. Dave was a poser and mike doesn't even compare. I think this guy will bring a lot of knowledge and entertainment to this show

Joe Teti is a fake. He did complete the Green Beret Qualification course while assigned to the National Guard's 19 Special Forces Group. He was kicked out of 1st BN 19 SFG(A) for stealing night vision goggles and other expensive equipment. They didn't have enough evidence though to prosecute. He then went to A CO 5/19 SFG(A) and was removed from operational status for lack of critical thinking skills and uncontrolled temper. I personally watched him pull a loaded pistol and draw down on his team sergeant in a fight during a Special Forces Urban Combat Course taught at Camp Williams, UT in the summer 2000. When he was teaching the same course in 2001, he was caught stealing training simunition pistols and ammunition. This was while he was in the National Guard. He owned a concrete pressure washing business in NV as his full time profession. In 2003, I ran into him in Baghdad where he was working for a private security firm doing protection details. I caught him lying again when he said he was working in Delta Force. His boss "Ike" was a former Sergeant Major in Delta and when word got back about what Joe was saying he was fired from that position too. He NEVER worked for any Tier 1 unit and did NOT serve on active duty in his army career. I have not tried to verify his Marine Corp background he claims but friends who have been Recon for decades haven't heard of him. The National Guard guys do great work, but never have been called a "counter terrorism force." Joe Teti is well known by many Special Forces Operators to be a stealing, lying fake and it is sad that the show will be ruined as this is slowly exposed.

I am not going to get into a pissing contest with you about what you know or think you know. BUT, you are pretty much clueless as to what you are saying. I know Joe, worked with him MANY times over the last 15 years. Yes, he was active duty (force recon) yes, you are right that he was not in a tier 1 military unit (he never said that) he did in fact work with a Government CT unit. No de did not get fired by Iggy. do you really think that he would have gotten away with pulling a gun on someone as an instructor? Joe has great integrity and honor. so what i think you need to do is verify your facts first. If you are a real man, i suggest you do what a gentleman did on SOCNET, post your name and number. he did, Joe call contacted him and gave him the opportunity to explain his ridiculous comments. Read the posting. pull your head out of your 4th point of contact, be a man and post your name for all to see

Why do you carry such a grudge for Joe??? It sounds like your a little MAD that Joe got the job you wouldn't qualify for! I'm sure the Discovery channel did their home work on his back ground. Especially after Dave was caught lying about his credentials. I don't know you... But I'm sure Joe would have you for lunch! THANKS for all you have done for our country Joe! SEMPER FI!!!!